Cineversity

I know there must be a simple solve for this but I can’t figure this out. I have a null with the Align to Spline tag on it. I have the position parameter in the tag animated, moving the null along the spline. When the null gets to the end of the spine I disengage the tag and animate the null using the null’s own position parameters.  Now I want to attach a couple of emitters to the null so I don’t have to match the cadence of the null’s animation. The problem is when the null is animating along the spline the particles from the emitter are not emitting from the current position of the emitter. The particles are emitting from the point where the null hits the end of the path and the null animates under it’s own position parameters. What’s the deal?

Thanks
-sd-

Sample file attached

Hi -sd-,

I can’t replicate your problem here. It works just fine. Please attache a [reduced to the problem] scene file.
Do you use standard particles or Thinking Particles.

Suggestions:

Move a Null along the spline, have a second Null as child to it, sharing the same position, until animated other wise.
Alternative, move the Null, do not disconnect, but animate the spline then.
One more option: bake the spline position animation (perhaps again as child, plus the aid of Cappucino.
I will check your file when I get it.

All the best

Thanks for the reply. I just uploaded a sample file.

Could you please check the uploading, -sd-?

It might not be accepted…

Uploading the ZIP file for reference.

Thanks for the file, -sd-!

The Keyframe obvious overwrites the last position for the Particle. You can see that in the file (CV2_r16_drs_15_SampleAlignToSpline_Hierarchy.c4d).

I have set up a file, “Cv2_r16_drs_ANpt_01.c4d”, that takes first the PSR information from the Spline driven animation, and switches (see image) then to the keyframe driven animation.
I hope that works for you.

Let me know if there is any question, if possible with file. Files work or not, either way, it is a solid communication with files. ;o)

All the best

Hi Sassi - Did you upload a file for me?

By the way. Thanks for helping me with this.

I see it now. Thank you!

You caught me during preparing the post. Please check again :o)

zorpzero - 06 July 2015 10:45 PM

Hi Sassi - Did you upload a file for me?

zorpzero - 06 July 2015 10:46 PM

By the way. Thanks for helping me with this.

You’re welcome, -sd-!

Mostly what moves can create a Spline, with a MoGraph Tracer, to get the complete motion in a single Spline, or from the Animation Timeline>Function>Postion Track to Spline. Connect the Splines and all is in the resulting Spline.
There might be other options, but to get creative here I need to know more.

Edit: instead of Constrains, it is doable with XPresso./edit

My best wishes with the project :o)

I mentioned above a two Null set up. Perhaps that is simpler and more like your initial idea.

Please note that the Null.1 has a keyframe on frame zero already, even nothing changes until the Spline move is done.

I prefer the Constrain method more, but that is of course perhaps more based on me, not know what your scene needs.

All the best